Grace Panetta reports for Business Insider the five common mistakes that may get your absentee ballot thrown out, rather than counted. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission found that 23.7 percent of voters, around 33 million, cast ballots by mail in the 2016 presidential election, and more than 318,000 of those votes were rejected, about one percent. This year there are fears of slow mail service, and and the coronavirus pandemic is sure to have more people voting by mail. So the five common mistakes to avoid are:
• Improperly filling out your ballot. Follow the directions carefully. "You don't want to use red ink, marker, or anything that could be problematic. If your instructions say to use black or blue ink, use black or blue ink. If it says fill in the oval, fill in the oval. I think it's really critical for voters to follow the instructions more than anything," said Amber McReynolds, the CEO of the National Vote at Home Institute and a former director of the Denver Elections Division in Colorado.
• Forgetting to sign your envelope. This is the most common mistake voters make.
• Using a different signature from what your state has on file. Use a consistent signature style. Voters can update signatures on file with the board of elections office by submitting a new paper voter-registration form.
• Not including required additional documentation. New York does not usually require extra documentation.
• Sending your ballot back too late. In New York, ballots must be postmarked by 9 p.m. Nov. 3 to be counted.
In-person voting takes place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Nov. 3, and early voting takes place Oct. 24 to Nov. 1.